People always have plenty of ideas for things to do on Silvester(New Year’s Eve) – auf eine Party gehen(go to a party), Zuhause feiern(celebrate at home),Feuerwerk anschauen(watch the fireworks) – but what about on New Year’s Day?

New Year’s Day is called der Neujahrstag in German. Like in many other countries, Neujahrstag is a public holiday in Germany, so many businesses, banks, post offices and other stores are closed on this day.

So what kinds of things could you do on Neujahrstag? Here are some ideas – in German – to inspire you!

Visit family and friends – Freunde und Familie besuchen

Play board or card games – Brettspiele oder Kartenspiele spielen

Photo: johnragai on flickr.com under CC BY 2.0

Tidy up – aufräumen (especially after a Neujahrsparty – New Year’s party!)

Send new year’s cards – Neujahrskarten senden
In Germany it is common to send Neujahrskarten – new year’s cards – to friends and family. These are sometimes sent instead of Christmas cards, and include a summary of the sender’s year, to keep friends and family up to date with all their news. It’s another way to reflect on the year gone by, and share your achievements, news, and ups and downs with loved ones. Phrases used in Neujahrskarten include Ein gutes und gesegnetes neues Jahr! (A good and blessed New Year!) and Prosit Neujahr! (Happy New Year!).

Photo: dskley on flickr.com under a CC BY-ND 2.0

Whatever you choose to do today, I’d like to wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful 2016!